The EU Needs a Social Investment Pact

European Social Observatory (OSE) opinion paper, No. 5, 2011

25 Pages Posted: 1 Aug 2017

See all articles by Frank Vandenbroucke

Frank Vandenbroucke

University of Amsterdam

Anton Hemerijck

VU University Amsterdam

Bruno Palier

Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (FNSP)

Date Written: May 01, 2011

Abstract

In this Opinion Paper, we argue that long term-goals of social and economic policy in the EU must not fall victim to short-term policy orientations prompted by the banking crisis that hit the global economy in 2008 and the subsequent financial and fiscal problems affecting the Eurozone and the EU at large. We capture these long-term goals with the notion of a 'social investment imperative'.

Social investment is not a new idea per se. We first revisit the social investment perspective as proposed towards the end of the 1990s and draw some lessons from past experience. We maintain that a social investment impetus, given Europe’s adverse demography, is today more acute than ever before. Subsequently, we examine how a renewed social investment perspective can be rescued from one-sided policy orientations prompted by the economic crisis.

Suggested Citation

Vandenbroucke, Frank and Hemerijck, Anton and Palier, Bruno, The EU Needs a Social Investment Pact (May 01, 2011). European Social Observatory (OSE) opinion paper, No. 5, 2011, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2991018

Frank Vandenbroucke (Contact Author)

University of Amsterdam ( email )

Spui 21
Amsterdam, 1012 WX
Netherlands
+31 (0)20 525 6037 (Phone)

Anton Hemerijck

VU University Amsterdam ( email )

De Boelelaan 1105
Amsterdam, ND North Holland 1081 HV
Netherlands

Bruno Palier

Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (FNSP)

27, rue Saint-Guillaume
Paris, 75007
France

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